Reinforced superplastic formed and diffusion bonded structures

A transport vehicle having at least one exterior panel, the at least one exterior panel comprising:

• an exterior skin of a superplastic material configured for atmospheric exposure;
• an interior skin of a superplastic material configured for attachment to a structural frame member of the transport vehicle;
• a multicellular core configured to impart tensile and compressive strength to the exterior panel, the multicellular core being sandwiched between the exterior skin and the interior skin, and the multicellular core comprising at least a pair of core sheets of a superplastic material bonded together via intermittent seam welds arrayed in a predetermined pattern;
• continuously welded about the edges of the core sheets and
• an SFR layer that underlies, is secured to, and supports the exterior skin when an atmospheric temperature on the exterior skin exceeds 1200 degrees Fahrenheit;
• wherein the multicellular core is superplastic formed and diffusion bonded to the exterior skin and the interior skin.

A method of manufacturing an exterior panel for a transport vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing an exterior skin of a superplastic material configured for atmospheric exposure;
• providing a SFR layer to be fixed adjacent the exterior skin, the SFR layer configured to support the exterior skin when an atmospheric friction temperature of the exterior skin exceeds 1200 degrees Fahrenheit;
• providing an interior skin of a superplastic material configured for attachment to a structural frame member of the transport vehicle;
• providing at least a pair of core sheets of a superplastic material for forming a multicellular core between the exterior skin and the interior skin;
• then
• securing the SFR layer to the exterior skin;
• bonding the pair of core sheets together via intermittent seam welds arrayed in a predetermined pattern, securing an expansion pipe to one edge of the core sheets, and the applying a continuous weld about the edges of the core sheets;
• and
• installing the exterior skin and the interior skin with the core sheets into a pressure containment device, supplying an inert gas into the expansion pipe to superplastic form and diffusion bond the exterior skin, the interior skin and the core sheets, creating a multicellular core that is integrally bonded to the exterior skin and the interior skin.